Patent GB-967900-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to railway track switch lubricating or de-icing apparatus
Inventor: HILL JOHN ALEXANDER
IPC: E01B7/26
Filed: 1962-06-01
Abstract: 967,900. Reciprocating pumps. P. & M. CO. (ENGLAND) Ltd. May 31, 1963 [June 1, 1962], No. 21334/62. Heading F1A. [Also in Division F2] A railway track switch lubricating or de-icing apparatus comprises a reservoir, a pump for ejecting lubricant or de-icing fluid from the reservoir and mechanism for actuating the pump, the mechanism being operated by the displacement of the track switch. In an embodiment, a track 1, Fig. 1, has switch-rails 2, 3 and sleepers 4, two of which carry angle-brackets 6 which support the reservoir 5. The lubricant pump 7, Fig. 4, has a cylinder 8 which is integral with the reservoir casing. A plug 9 is fitted into the outer end of the cylinder 8 and provides communication between the cylinder 8 and a lateral passage 10 leading, via a non-return ball-valve 11, to a chamber of a check-valve 12 which has outlet ports 13, 14, Fig. 3, for the discharge of pressurised lubricant from the reservoir. The cylinder 8, Fig. 4, contains a helical spring 15 and a plunger 16 and has an inlet slot 17 therein through which oil &c., can be drawn from the reservoir into the cylinder 8, the slot 17 being open when the plunger 16 is in its fully retracted position. An extension 18 of the plunger 16 is urged by the spring 15 into engagement with a rotary cam 19, Fig. 5, which is moved in angular steps by a vertical shaft 21, through motion transmission means 22, Fig. 4, which comprises one-way clutches 47, 48. An extension 25 of the shaft 21 has a boss of a lever 26 keyed thereto, the lever 26 carrying an actuating lever 27 which normally extends in the direction of the track. The lever 27 has a longitudinal slot 28 therein which is engaged by a pin 29 of a horizontal beam 30 which is mounted for axial sliding movement transversely of the track. The beam 30 has a shaft 31 mounted for axial sliding movement in bearings 32, 33, Fig. 3, which are carried by lugs 34, 35 of a bearing block 36 and has extensions which abut the inner faces of the switch-rails 2, 3. The bearing-block 36 is mounted in pads 37, 38, has adjustment slots 39, 40 therein, and is clamped by bolts 41 to the pads. When the switch-rails move from one position to another, the beam 30 is displaced transversely of the track, the lever 27 is actuated, the shaft 21 and the cam 19 are rotated, and the plunger 16 is operated. After a pre-determined number of movements of the switch-rails, the plunger 16 will complete the stroke and be returned by the spring 15. The oil &c. is forced into the chamber of the check-valve 12; through the ports 13, 14 and into conduits 60, 61; to delivery pipes 62, 63, Fig. 1; through unions 120 which are connected by flexible hose sections 121; and through branch pipes 65 having nozzles 66 thereon so as to spray oil &c., on to the switchslide chairs. The apparatus includes overload release means to permit the switch-rails to be moved should the apparatus become jammed. In a modification Fig. 9, not shown, the pump is of the bucket type drawing through the plunger from the reservoir. The angular displacement of the cam can be varied by varying the effective length of the lever 27.